Across Virginia
Holy Cross Regional Catholic School in Lynchburg will close at the end of the current school year. The Richmond Catholic Diocese says it is the result of declining enrollment – down by more than 60% in the last 18 years. Holy Cross opened in 1879.
NEWS RELEASE: (RICHMOND, VA) – Today, the Catholic Diocese of Richmond’s Office of Catholic Schools announced that Holy Cross Regional Catholic School in Lynchburg will permanently cease operations at the end of the 2019-2020 school year in June.
“More than ever, we want our schools to flourish as they form and nurture our young people in the Catholic faith,” said the Most Rev. Barry C. Knestout, bishop of Richmond. “It is with sadness that we announce the closure of a Catholic school that has been part of our diocese for 140 years. I want to express my gratitude to the many teachers, staff, administrators and families for your service and dedication to Holy Cross and the support you have given and provided to the students. Please keep the Holy Cross Catholic School community in your prayers during this time.”
For the last 17 years, Holy Cross Regional Catholic School’s enrollment has declined by 61 percent between the 2001/02 academic year compared to the 2019/20 academic year. The decreased enrollment has resulted in increased financial challenges.
“This announcement is painful for our Holy Cross Catholic School students, families, faculty, staff and alumni. We realize the impact this will have on them,” said Kelly M. Lazzara, superintendent, Office of Catholic Schools. “We will do all we can to support our families by offering them access to resources to assist during this period of transition. Additionally, we will work with our students so that anyone who wants to continue their Catholic education will be welcomed at one of our neighboring schools.”
According to the National Catholic Education Association’s (NCEA) annual report, enrollment decreased 18 percent nationally for Catholic schools in the last decade compared to a 12 percent decline experienced by Catholic schools in the Richmond Diocese during the same time period.
“The closing of a Catholic school is a decision that is not taken lightly, and the determination was made only after numerous attempts were made in recent years to support the financial operations of the school,” said Chief Financial Officer Michael J. McGee.
Since 2012, the diocese offered guarantees so Holy Cross Catholic School could obtain over $3 million in low interest-rate loans to give the school time to implement strategies to grow enrollment and raise additional funds.
“In addition to the financial support provided by the parishes of the diocese, the McMahon-Parater Scholarship Foundation allocated additional needs-based financial aid to Holy Cross. Even with the allocation of additional funds, the school had annual operating losses ranging from $95,000 to $360,000 in each of the past five fiscal years,” said McGee. “Unfortunately, despite these significant efforts, the financial condition of the school continued to decline to the point that closing the school became unavoidable.”
Holy Cross Regional Catholic School has served the Lynchburg community with a Catholic education since 1879. It is one of six Catholic schools located in the Southwest region of the state.
In all, the Richmond Diocese has 30 Catholic schools serving more than 8,400 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The last time the diocese closed a school was Holy Trinity Catholic in Norfolk in 2010.
Photo: Charlottesville City
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Democrats won control of Virginia government for the first time in decades on Election Day, and that means Confederate statues could soon be coming down in a state that’s full of them. The long-running debate over whether such displays are appropriate in public spaces intensified after a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville grew violent two years ago, and many communities around the country quickly started taking monuments down. But in Virginia, local governments have been hamstrung by a 1904 state law that protects war veterans’ memorials. Previous attempts to amend it have been quickly dispatched in the Republican-controlled General Assembly, in votes largely along party lines. Democrats see an opening now. One lawmaker who represents Charlottesville says she intends to propose a bill that would give cities and counties control.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) _ Police have removed an unauthorized camera and apparent tripwire device from the vicinity of a Confederate monument in Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlottesville police spokesman Tyler Hawn said Monday that neither the camera nor the “self-made” device belonged to police. He says officers removed them soon after citizens reported their presence. Hawn declined to describe the device beyond saying it didn’t appear to present any threat. Social media posts showed what looked like a tripwire attached to a bell by the base of the statue of Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The city has been trying to remove the statue of Jackson and another of Gen. Robert E. Lee, but a judge has prevented that amid ongoing litigation. The statues have become the frequent target of vandalism in recent months.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Republicans have canceled a meeting where they were to present GOP-backed proposals to curb gun violence.
State Sen. Mark Obenshain said Friday that he had canceled next week’s planned meeting of the state’s Crime Commission because of the results of Tuesday’s legislative elections.
Republicans tasked the commission earlier this year to come up with ideas on how to improve public safety in the wake of a mass shooting at a Virginia Beach municipal building. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam had instead wanted lawmakers to vote on gun-control measures during a special session.
Democrats ran aggressively on gun control in legislative elections and won majorities in both the state House and Senate on Tuesday.
Northam said he expects lawmakers to pass several gun-control bills next year.
Bobbie James
THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE HAS ISSUED A SENIOR ALERT ON BEHALF OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT ON 11/08/2019 AT 2130 HOURS.
THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING FOR BOBBIE JAMES, BLACK, FEMALE, 66 YEARS OLD, 5 FOOT 7 INCHES,135 lbs., WITH BROWN EYES AND BLACK HAIR. SHE WAS LAST SEEN ON 11/08/2019 AT 1630 HOURS AT HER RESIDENTS ON SHEFFIELD PLACE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. SHE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING LIME GREEN PANTS AND A TAN COAT WITH A HOOD.
THE MISSING SENIOR SUFFERS FROM A COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND THE DISAPPEARANCE POSES A CREDIBLE THREAT TO HER HEALTH AND SAFETY AS DETERMINED BY THE INVESTIGATING AGENCY.
PLEASE CONTACT THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH ANY INFORMATION REGARDING HIS WHEREABOUTS AT 804-748-1251 OR YOU MAY FIND COMPLETE INFORMATION AT http://www.vasenioralert.com
Virginia Democrats will take full control of the statehouse for the first time in more than two decades, and Governor Northam quickly made it clear he plans to make sweeping changes in statewide laws and policies. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story:
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Democrats are taking full control of the statehouse for the first time in more than two decades. Democrats won majorities in both the state House and Senate in Tuesday’s legislative election. This is the third election in a row that Virginia Democrats have made significant gains since President Donald Trump was elected. The win will give Democrats control of the legislature and governorship for the first time in 26 years. Democrats have pledged to pass new gun restrictions and raise the minimum wage once in power. Virginia is the only state with legislative elections this year where partisan control was up for grabs. Much of the contest centered on how voters feel about Trump and his possible impeachment.
NEWS RELEASE: Virginia State Police Trooper J.P. Peck is investigating a two-vehicle crash in Washington County. The crash occurred Nov. 3, 2019 at 7:15 p.m. on Interstate 81 at the 26 mile marker. State police began receiving calls about a 2015 Nissan Sentra traveling north on I-81 at an extremely slow speed and without its lights on. As troopers were responding, the Nissan came to a complete stop in the travel lane. A 2011 Honda CRV, also traveling north, swerved in an attempt to avoid striking the Nissan, but was unable to avoid hitting it in the stopped vehicle. The impact of the crash caused the Nissan to spin off the right side of the road where it struck an embankment.
The driver of the Nissan, Charles M. Johnson, 86, of Rogersville, Tenn., died at the scene. He was wearing a seat belt.
The driver of the Honda was not injured in the crash.
The crash remains under investigation. A medical emergency is being considered as a possible factor in the crash.
Tens of millions of dollars have poured into the relatively small number of General Assembly races considered most in play — and most likely to determine which party or parties control the Virginia legislature for the next two years. And as WFIR’s Evan Jones reports, those races are getting plenty of attention from both national parties, which look upon the results as a possible bellwether of next year’s presidential election:
Photo: Justin Fairfax Facebook
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) – A broadcaster sued by Virginia’s lieutenant governor after airing interviews from two women accusing him of sexual assault says his defamation lawsuit is an attempt to silence his accusers. CBS asked a federal judge in Alexandria to toss out a lawsuit filed by Justin Fairfax. CBS says in court papers filed Friday it accurately reported the accusations against Fairfax by Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson. Fairfax, a Democrat, accused CBS News of reporting the allegations to fit a preconceived narrative that implied his guilt. Fairfax’s spokeswoman said Monday that CBS’ legal defense conspicuously fails to defend the women’s accusations as true. The accusations about events more than a decade old surfaced when Fairfax appeared poised to succeed Gov. Ralph Northam, who faced calls to resign over a racist yearbook photo.
There is now just one day to go before election day, and while candidates handle last-minute campaigning, local elections officials will spend a busy day getting things set up for tomorrow. The voting machines are all programmed, and today is the day they actually head to their respective voting precincts. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more: